Improvement in pointing- spikes



L. THOMAS.

. i Pointing Spikes. 4 No. 85,146. Patented Dec. 22, 1868.

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KLOMAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

- Letters Patent No. 85,146, dated December 22, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN POINTING- SIPIKES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To 'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,LEOPOLD THOMAs, of Allegheny City, in the county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Pointing Spikes; and I do-hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine containing my improvement;

Figure 2 is an elevation of a longitudinal vertical section through the linea-x, fig. l;

Figure 3 is a plan View of a horizontal section through the line att-af, g. l; and

Figure 4 is a plan View of a horizontal section through the line a:":v, fig. l.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My invention relates to an improvement in a spikemachine, for which I have already led application for Letters Patent, and particularly to that par't of the machine by which the spike-blanks are cut from the bar and pointed; and

The nature of it consists- First, in so combining the tool-posts or pointingtools with xed guide-posts or projections, that, with the forward stroke of the carriage, the tool-posts or pointing-tools shall engage such guide-posts, and the pointing-tools shall thereby be made to 'engage the iron rodor bar fed in, and so cut oli` and point 'a new Spik;

Second, in the combination of the pointing-tools with movable or stationary square-faced dies, such that, while the pointing-tools are cutting a spike from its bar, the dies will prevent the spread of the iron in the point; and

Third, in the combination of fixed guide-posts witharms attached to or connected with the tool-posts, such that, when the spike-blank is severed from the rod or bar, and the sliding carriage commences itsreturn stroke, the pointing-tools will be opened.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and mode of operation.

In the drawing, only so much of the spike-machine is shown as is necessary to the pointing of the spike.

A is the frame of the machine, on the rear end of Which are placed the cam-shaft, cams, Sec., for'communicating to the other devices the motions desired.

On the sliding carriage B, and just in the rear of the tool-posts a, the griping-dies vare set. The toolposts a are also set in the forward endof the carriage,

one on each side of the feeding-point, and the axes of the posts extend down through the carriage B.

In mortises in the tool-posts a are adjusted, by setscrews c, the pointing-tools e, the tools being so made and shaped that when they come together, as-in s.

l i g 1 and 3, their extreme points will sever the bar fed in between them, and their working-faces will act as dies. to give the spike-blank cnt otl' a wedge-shaped point such as is desired.

The'heated bar is fed in along. ya trough, l), or' between suitably-shaped guides, so that it will comeI exactly between the pointing-tools c. Above'andbelow the bar, at the point where the pointing-toolsoperate, or a little in therearthereof,

are two dat-faced dies d d',.which are adjusted at a distance from each other equal to the width to be given to the point of thespike. The bottom of the feedbox b may, if so desired, project suiiiciently far to constitute the lower die in flg. 2.

Either or both the dies may be adjustable, as by a set-screw, i, so as to be used with pointing-tools of different thickness in making dierently-siged spikes.

Then, when the spike is cut oi, and pointed by the tools c, the dies prevent the spreading of the metal, and the two together' give a point of the required form. The spike-blank is then caught by the gripingdies, and carried forward on the carriage against the header'. l

But, in order to secure the desired motions in th'e pointing-tools e, I carry the sides of the feed-trough back till their ends occupy the position required, as guide-posts to the tools e, or I shorten the sides, and use such posts in lien thereof.

These posts s, fig. 3, I place in such position, relatively tothe pointing-tools e, that, with the forward stroke of the carriage B, the front face of each pointing-tool will strike one of the posts, and the tools thereby be thrown or guided in toward each other. In:

this way they are made to embrace the bar, and ent' orf and point the spike-blank.

The rear faces of the posts e may be rounded off or otherwise so shaped that the pointing-tools will slide or roll thereon, with a minimum of friction, and, if so preferred, friction-wheels may be set in the workingsides of the guide-posts s. i

The axles of the tool-posts extend down through the carriage B, and ou their lower ends carry arms f,

which are set in exactly or nearly the same vertical4 planes with the tools e above, so as to close together' when the pointing-tools close.

AWith the backward or return stroke of the carriage,

the arms f engage a fixed guide, g, which causes them to open, and .thereby open the pointing-tools e. The

pointing-tools are thus thrown clear of the end of the spike-blank, While the spike-blank is carried forward against the heading-die, and are left in the proper position for .closing in on a new length of metal, to be fed in as before.

vIhns the tools are automatically opened Aand closed.

Their positions when closed' are shown, rigs. l and 3,

and, when open, by red lines in iig. 3.l

`tools shall thereby be made to engage the iron rod or bar fed in, and out off and point a new spike, substantially above described.

2. The pointing-tools c e, mounted on a reciprocating carriage, in combination with fixed guide-posts or projections s and square-faced dies d d', above and below, such dies being either movable or stationary, the dies and tools being so arranged and operated, relatively,

to each other, that, while the pointing-tools are cutting a spike from its. bar, the upper and lower dies will prevent the spread of the iron in the point, substantially as above set folth.

3. The arms f, attached to or connected with the tool-posts a', when so arranged, relatively to one or more fixed guide-posts y, that, when the spike is severed from the rod or bar, and the carriage commences its return stroke, the pointing-tools will be opened, substantially as above set forth.

In testimony whereof, I, the said LEOPOLDTHOMAS, have hereunto set my hand.

L. THOMAS.

VVitnesses-z J oHN GLENN, '.lHEo. B. KEER. 

